1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to friction heat generators for creating a source of heat to use in a heat exchanger for a warm air furnace heating system for use in the home.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Friction heaters have been known for many years, as is clear from the Kilbourn U.S. Pat. No. 361,164 which describes an air compressor that forces air into a cylinder in which is journaled a longitudinal shaft with spirally-arranged beaters or blades to subject the compressed air to frictional mechanical agitation until a required degree of heat is attained.
The Crocket et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,107,933 describes a heating system for buildings and the like utilizing the heat of friction of a gas or a liquid under pressure that is forced through a circulating system including heat radiators. This system includes an air compressor that feeds into a positive-acting pump or impeller which is shown as of the screw type in which the slippage of air past the impelling means is reduced to a minimum. The fluid-impelling screw is rotated by means of a pulley driven by steam or electrical motor or water or wind power. Due to the fact that the impelling element and the inner wall of the casing are smooth, no appreciable amount of heat will be generated at the pump or impelling means. The coils or passages of the radiators, however, may have their interior surfaces interrupted or roughened in any suitable manner so as to provide frictional resistance to the flow of fluid through the radiator.
The Love et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,625,929 describes a friction heat generator that includes a longitudinal motor-driven shaft which supports friction discs as well as pairs of friction bars. Oil fills the cylindrical casing, and the movement of the discs and the bars will produce frictional heat for the purpose of heating water or the like.
The Smith U.S. Pat. No. 2,683,448 describes a rotary mechanical heater for converting mechanical energy into heat. Heat is produced by shearing a liquid with unequal numbers of rotary and stationary blades. The rotation of the rotors circulates the liquid through a heat exchanger over which air is circulated by a blower for distributing the heated air to radiators and the like.
The Love U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,702 describes a friction heat generator having a cylindrical casing with a plurality of juxtaposed discs having a central shaft therethrough. Certain discs are rotatable and others are fixed, and each disc is formed with a chamber. The chambers of the non-rotatable discs are filled with material of low heat conductivity, and the chambers of the rotatable discs are filled with material of high heat conductivity.
The Lutz U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,036 describes a heating system utilizing a closed oil system and a friction element which is formed of woven metal wire, such as stainless steel, that is highly compressed for heating the oil as the oil is forced through the element.
The Frenette U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,639 describes a furnace or space heater having an electric motor which rotates an elongated cylindrical drum on a vertical axis within an elongated cylindrical casing at a clearance of about 1/8/th of an inch in the annular chamber formed therebetween. A supply of relatively light oil normally occupies the lower portion of the annular chamber, but rises to fill the chamber during rotation of the drum. The casing is enclosed in a housing, and the motor may rotate both a fan as well as the drum.